The Advocate and Foxnews has articles on the investigation. Gary's name was in one of the articles. I hope it does'nt have any bearing on the Mayors race.Posted by fscib52

No, it absolutely does not. It is the same investigation started around the time of Sheriff DiPaola's death. I am sure Gary will be asked a few questions since he runs the finance department, but the investigation is into the Campaign funds which Gary has absolutely nothing to do with. They will be questioning many employees to try to get to the bottom of whatever it is they are looking for.

It's about time they got around to the investigation so this whole issue can be put to rest.

FSCIB52----Understand this if it smells rotten it usually is and everything that is it contact with it smells rotten. I hope Gary is not involved but again the answers might not be known till after the election unless the AG"S Office release the Grand Jury Findings.My Question why is it coming out NOW ---Who is asking for theInformation? Smells like it someone is running SCARED;

FSCIB52----Understand this if it smells rotten it usually is and everything that is it contact with it smells rotten. I hope Gary is not involved but again the answers might not be known till after the election unless the AG"S Office release the Grand Jury Findings. My Question why is it coming out NOW ---Who is asking for the Information? Smells like it someone is running SCARED;Posted by Driver54

The AG's office is just following up on something they began almost a year ago. It is standard to question people during their investigation- nothing more, nothing less.

educated/activemaldonian: I admire your wanting to defend your candidate and dismiss this investigation and any link between Gary and the Sherrif. This pronouncement is coming from someone who is hiding behind a keyboard and has no official capacity to do so. How is it you can be so sure it is only about campaign funds? It was a "secret" Grand Jury. Who knows what is coming next? Oh, that's right: you know everything!

People have the right to know if there is any kind of link between the Sherrif and his right hand man in charge of the budget and also a close friend and someone he was preparing to bring out his political clout to campaign for. You can condemn me all you want for wanting to know, but it is my and the rest of the citizens right to know the truth about what caused a man to take his own life to cover something up. Did DiPaola do good things? Sure he did, but somewhere, somehow he took a wrong turn. Did he take others with him? You bet. They have already identified some low level employees and have disciplined them. Until and unless the AG comes out with a pronouncement can we know anything. I don't take the word of a non-identified poster on a blog. Just like you don't take anything I say for real, right?

educated/activemaldonian: I admire your wanting to defend your candidate and dismiss this investigation and any link between Gary and the Sherrif. This pronouncement is coming from someone who is hiding behind a keyboard and has no official capacity to do so. How is it you can be so sure it is only about campaign funds? It was a "secret" Grand Jury. Who knows what is coming next? Oh, that's right: you know everything! People have the right to know if there is any kind of link between the Sherrif and his right hand man in charge of the budget and also a close friend and someone he was preparing to bring out his political clout to campaign for. You can condemn me all you want for wanting to know, but it is my and the rest of the citizens right to know the truth about what caused a man to take his own life to cover something up. Did DiPaola do good things? Sure he did, but somewhere, somehow he took a wrong turn. Did he take others with him? You bet. They have already identified some low level employees and have disciplined them. Until and unless the AG comes out with a pronouncement can we know anything. I don't take the word of a non-identified poster on a blog. Just like you don't take anything I say for real, right?Posted by AnnieOMalden

fiveof5,FSCIB52-----to all included---this has not one one thing to do with Gary or his Job, I know more about these fund/campaign raisers than most. I was a Chauffeur/Limo Driver and took people toand from these events and heard what was given and what was promised. I Loved his Yacht owned by the Sheriff Department why did the sheriff department need this Yacht?

In Response to Re: Investigation into Sheriffs Department : This could get better than driver vs patsPosted by fscib52

I know better than to go head to head with Annie O. Her reputation precedes her and she is very well know all over Malden to blog with or without facts, so I don't take her seriously. I will post the facts as I get them.

I am not saying that I believe Gary has done anything wrong but I do agree with AnnieO's comment. We don't know for sure and we won't until the information is released from the Grand Jury.Posted by fiveof5

I understand your point and will post facts as I get them. As for myself and anyone else who knows Gary Christenson, we know FOR SURE it has nothing to do with him.

GreySquirrel---since your a friend of the deceased and do not want the information to come out to protect his family I understand.But he held Fundraisers on his Yacht (Owned by the Sheriff Office) and it was docked year round and maintained. Answer a Question what other Sheriff Department had a Yacht and what purpose did itserve the Middlesex County ? Answer No other Sheriff's department in the State has a Yacht in it's Department now tell me it's purpose?

Until and unless the AG comes out with a pronouncement can we know anything. I don't take the word of a non-identified poster on a blog. Just like you don't take anything I say for real, right?Posted by AnnieOMalden

AnnieO, anyone who knows Gary Christenson KNOWS he was never, nor would he ever, be part of something dirty like this but since you asked for a pronouncement, here you go: Today Brad Puffer from the AG's office confirmed Gary is not part of this investigation.

Now, we ALL know that Gary is not involved in the investigation of former sheriff DiPaola, coming from the AG's office, so there SHOULD NOT be any more innuendos and accusations coming from Deb's camp of supporters with regards to this matter.

I am not sure "The attorney general’s office would not confirm or deny anything grand jury-related, but attorney general’s office spokesperson Brad Puffer did say Christenson was not currently under investigation.

“I can confirm he’s not currently a target of an investigation by our office,” said Puffer." is not a 100% clearing of this investigation.

This investigation is still open and ongoing. Do I believe Gary is involved? I am not totally sure of this yet. I have been shocked by other investigations and the indictments that have come forth so this does not completely put the matter to rest. I am not accusing him of anything as I feel anyone is not guilty until proven otherwise. Am I uncomfortable with the close relationship the Sherrif and Gary shared? Um, yeah. Too much has gone on in not only this city but in the Probation Dept. and even the Mass. Legislature that would make me not sure about anything right now. I have every right to feel this way and you can call it what you want. I prefer to call it unresolved until the investigation is complete. When the case is closed, we will see what shakes out.

I find it interesting that Gary has never made a direct and open comment on this subject. Typical of the admin and council to hope it all blows over and it can be whisked under the rug and forgotten. He was very close to the Sherrif and since he committed suicide has gone very quiet. He expected the Sherrif to be a monumental help to him during his campaign. So, until I hear "case closed" will I know he has no involvement in any shenanigans the Sherrif was involved in.

Gary has made a direct and open comment on this subject on more than one occasion. The most recent being this week in the Malden Evening News, Fox News, and Malden Observer. That's not enough for you AnneO or are you just blogging again without your facts?

I am not sure "The attorney general’s office would not confirm or deny anything grand jury-related, but attorney general’s office spokesperson Brad Puffer did say Christenson was not currently under investigation. “I can confirm he’s not currently a target of an investigation by our office,” said Puffer." is not a 100% clearing of this investigation. This investigation is still open and ongoing. Do I believe Gary is involved? I am not totally sure of this yet. I have been shocked by other investigations and the indictments that have come forth so this does not completely put the matter to rest. I am not accusing him of anything as I feel anyone is not guilty until proven otherwise. Am I uncomfortable with the close relationship the Sherrif and Gary shared? Um, yeah. Too much has gone on in not only this city but in the Probation Dept. and even the Mass. Legislature that would make me not sure about anything right now. I have every right to feel this way and you can call it what you want. I prefer to call it unresolved until the investigation is complete. When the case is closed, we will see what shakes out. I find it interesting that Gary has never made a direct and open comment on this subject. Typical of the admin and council to hope it all blows over and it can be whisked under the rug and forgotten. He was very close to the Sherrif and since he committed suicide has gone very quiet. He expected the Sherrif to be a monumental help to him during his campaign. So, until I hear "case closed" will I know he has no involvement in any shenanigans the Sherrif was involved in.Posted by AnnieOMalden

Annie O you were not "shocked" by anyone who has been indicated, nor will you ever be. You wear negative goggles and buy into any type of conspiracy theory- with or without facts.

The fact that you "aren't sure" about Gary means you are positive that he is not involved. I haven't felt the need to respond to any of this because Gary's reputation is honorable and everyone knows it. You cannot touch his values or his credibility, try as you may.

Try to read into it all you want, but it's just your jaded opinion along with the few followers you may have on here.

I felt the need to respond to you because your blog was so predictable it's comical.

The real investigation ought to be how Deb Fallon can hold a fulltime job for the City of Everett and then take from the Portal to Hope over half its state awarded money of over 100,000 when all salary and benefits and expenses are added in. Someone please answer that for me. Someone please answer how this is not being investigated by all the newspapers etc.

LastMaldenite: So you're saying she can't hold a second job? If she made $120k+ plus the generous benefits the Sherrif's Dept. gives (over 75% of the $60mil budget is for employee salaries and benefits!) she would not have to work two jobs. Her medical benefits come from her City of Everett job and she certainly is worth way more than the salary she receives from Portal to Hope. How much of her salary does she pour back into those she serves? Like a teacher spending their own money on their classes she doesn't get that money back.

You cannot compare the two. Gary never has to worry about where his next paycheck is coming from and he certainly doesn't have to deal with the troubled citizens Deb serves on a daily basis. How many times has he comforted a child who has seen their mother being beaten by their father? How many times has he stood beside someone who needs an order of protection from the court against their abuser? Or moved someone in the middle of the night to protect them from further violence and abuse? She knows the reality of what allowing drugs and violence to control a city and what must be done to stop it. Moving city hall as your first priority is not cutting it. "Appearance is everything" means you will do whatever you need to do to cover up the reality and never fix the real problems.

LastMaldenite: So you're saying she can't hold a second job? If she made $120k+ plus the generous benefits the Sherrif's Dept. gives (over 75% of the $60mil budget is for employee salaries and benefits!) she would not have to work two jobs. Her medical benefits come from her City of Everett job and she certainly is worth way more than the salary she receives from Portal to Hope. How much of her salary does she pour back into those she serves? Like a teacher spending their own money on their classes she doesn't get that money back. You cannot compare the two. Gary never has to worry about where his next paycheck is coming from and he certainly doesn't have to deal with the troubled citizens Deb serves on a daily basis. How many times has he comforted a child who has seen their mother being beaten by their father? How many times has he stood beside someone who needs an order of protection from the court against their abuser? Or moved someone in the middle of the night to protect them from further violence and abuse? She knows the reality of what allowing drugs and violence to control a city and what must be done to stop it. Moving city hall as your first priority is not cutting it. "Appearance is everything" means you will do whatever you need to do to cover up the reality and never fix the real problems. We need change and we need it now! Deb Fallon for Mayor!!!Posted by AnnieOMalden

This is very true, you cannot compare the two! Christenson's position gives you the experience necessary to run an entire city with a large budget and multitude of issues and Fallon's helps battered woman cope with a terrible situation which probably gives her a nice sense of pride. I wonder how a women so committed to helping victims and running her a non-profit specifically for this reason can give that up?